Rose's Comeback
by BouquetOfScoroses
Summary: He broke her heart, but now it's her turn to shatter his.
1. The Breakup

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except for Violet.

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><p>"Rose, I just don't think that there's any reason for us to keep this relationship up past this point." Scorpius said as he sat in the library with Rose.<p>

"What?" Rose asked, lifting her head up from a book. Scorpius was looking at her as she processed what he had said and recognition dawned on her face.

"You heard me, Rose. Is there any reason for us to keep this up? Because if there is, please enlighten me." Scorpius said leaning back in his chair.

"I-I'm not sure I understand what's happening here. Are you breaking up with me or are you asking me if I would like to break up?" Rose responded, closing her book and turning in her seat to face him.

"God, Rose, are you that daft? Do you not understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?" Scorpius asked.

"Excuse you, I understand what you're saying perfectly well." Rose grabbed her books, snapping her bag closed. "So. How was she?"

"What?" Scorpius asked, clearly confused.

"Whatever little tramp you found instead of me. How was she? Obviously good enough for you to leave me for her." Rose said, infuriated by his lack of emotion.

"This has nothing to do with another girl." Scorpius argued, but the red tint rising in his face gave his lie away.

"You know, everyone warned me about you. That you would break my heart into a thousand pieces, shatter it like an old mirror. And I told them that they were wrong." She laughed deprecatingly at herself. "I was so stupid. Some little lovesick puppy that I swore I never would be."

"Fine, Rose! What do you want from me? To tell you that I went behind your back and slept with another girl? Because fine, I'll tell you that! Do you want me to tell you that I did it because you weren't nearly as pretty as she is? I'll tell you that, too! Just stop with this self-deprecating crap that you're spewing out right now. Stop trying to make me feel sorry for you." Scorpius said, standing and walking out into the corridor.

"You should feel sorry for me! No, you should feel sorry for what you did to me! But you're sitting here, completely remorseless, not a thought to anyone except yourself! When did you become such a...such a..." Rose stumbled over her thoughts as she yelled at him down the corridor.

He turned to face her. "A what, Rose? When did I become such a what?"

"Such a good for nothing, unforgivable Malfoy?" She yelled at him. "When did you become everything my dad warned me about?"

"Maybe I've always been this way, Rose, have you ever thought about that?" Scorpius said, turning back around and sauntering down the corridor.

Rose stood, shocked by what had just happened before she took off down the hall after him. When she caught up to him, she grabbed him by the sleeve of his robes and turned him around.

"What the hell?" He asked, wrenching his arm out of her grasp.

"What about the Christmas Ball? You promised we would go together. Or is that just another promise that you're going to break?" Rose asked, trying to stop the tears gathering in her eyes.

"I already promised to take Violet Flint. Guess you'll just have to go by yourself." He said, turning around again, leaving her standing alone.

"Is she the girl you cheated on me with?" Rose yelled after him, but he didn't answer. She took that as a yes.

She took a deep breath, trying to stop her tears. She walked through the stone halls, her sniffles echoing around her as she walked back to the Gryffindor common room.

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><p>AN: So this is my first multi-chapter fic, so reviews are greatly appreciated! Chapter two is coming very soon, so keep your eyes open!


	2. The Plan

Rose entered the common room to find all of her cousins sitting in front of the fire.

"Oh, how freaking fantastic it is that all of you are in here tonight!" Rose said, trying to hide her puffy face from her cousins.

"Rosie? What happened?" She heard her brother's voice ask.

"Nothing, I'm fine, I'm just going to bed." Rose said, hurrying up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

"Rose, wait! We're not stupid, you know. We can see that something's wrong." Albus said, getting up and following her.

"Can't you just leave me alone? I don't want to talk about it right now!" She yelled, turning and running up the stairs, leaving a confused Albus in her wake.

Rose threw open the door to her dormitory, slamming it shut after she had entered. She crossed the room to her bed and sat down on it, pulling her knees to her chest. She was so absorbed in herself that she didn't hear the door softly open and close.

She felt someone sit down on the bed next to her. She knew it had to be Lily, because who else would Albus have sent up? "Go away, Lily, I don't want to talk about it."

"It's not Lily, it's me." Rose looked up to see her best friend, Scarlett, sitting beside her. She threw her arms around Scarlett, finally letting her guard down and sobbing on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm so stupid, Scarlett. How could I have been so stupid?" She cried, her voice muffled by Scarlett's shoulder.

"Was it Scorpius?" Scarlett almost whispered, not knowing quite what to make of her best friend's breakdown.

"They were all right. Everyone down in that common room. I couldn't stand to tell them what happened and look at their faces as they try not to tell me that they told me so." Rose said, pulling back from Scarlett.

"What happened?" Scarlett asked, grasping Rose's hand.

"He cheated on me. Slept with Violet Flint and now he's taking her to the freaking Christmas Ball and I'm just supposed to go by myself. Now how pathetic does that look?" Rose cried, shaking her head.

"Get a new date." Scarlett told her. Rose laughed. That was easy for her to say; Scarlett had boys lining up to take her to the Ball.

"I have a week until the Christmas Ball. How am I supposed to get a new date in a week?" Rose asked.

"That's true...Rosie, just tell me how I can help you. Do you want to break Violet Flint's pretty nose? Because I can do that. Or I can just kill them both and make it look like an accident." Scarlett asked, making Rose laugh.

"I don't think murder is really the answer here, Scarlett." Rose told her.

"Just a suggestion. But what do we do then? You have to get revenge on him somehow. Do you know how long his thing with Violet Flint went on?" Scarlett asked.

"I assumed it was just once...do you think it was more often?" Rose asked, almost in a whisper.

"I don't know, Rose. Does it matter? I'm sorry I mentioned it." Scarlett said, trying to cover her mistake.

"No, no. I want to know. What if he was cheating on me the whole two years? He deserves something awful." Rose said, her need for revenge coming through her tone.

Scarlett thought for a moment, and then her face lit up.

"What? I know that face, you had an idea. What?" Rose asked.

"Why not show him what he can't have?" Scarlett suggested.

"What are you on about? What can't he have?"

"You. Everything about you."

"Me? He cheated on me, I don't think he even wants me, let alone can't have me. He told me he cheated on me because Violet was prettier than me. Why would he want me when he can have her?" Rose asked, on the verge of tears again.

"How about a makeover? Make you so irresistible that Scorpius wants nothing more than to be with you again and you just toss him to the side like the slimy little rag doll that he is." Scarlett told her.

"Scarlett...this is risky. What if I do this whole big makeover and he doesn't even notice? Or he notices but doesn't care?" Rose asked.

"Trust me, Rosie, he'll notice. I know Scorpius Malfoy, and there is nothing more that he likes than a pretty girl who looks easy to get. And nothing will drive him crazier than a gorgeous girl that he can look at but can't touch." Scarlett said.

"I just want him to hurt as much as I do right now. Oh, what the hell! Why not?" Rose said.

"Yes! Oh, Rose, we have to get started now! You'll need a new dress, a new haircut, new makeup...this is going to be so much fun!" Scarlett squeaked, hugging Rose.

"I guess. But I can just sew the dress that I've already bought, I can send Victoire an owl asking what she thinks. Scarlett, I hope this works, so when he comes back to me, I can just throw it back in his face." Rose said.

"It will work. I promise it will work." Scarlett said, standing up and walking out of the room.

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><p>AN: Hopefully this isn't that cliché of a plot line. Reviews still appreciated!


	3. The Brother

Rose walked back down to the common room to find her cousins, staring expectantly at her.

"What?" She asked them all, playing dumb as to why they were all staring at her.

"Are you okay? You seemed kind of upset when you went upstairs." Albus asked.

"Oh, that? Scorpius and I...we just had a fight, that's all." Rose said, not bringing herself to tell them what Scorpius had done because she knew that they would all be calling for him to pay for it.

"Um...okay then. We were all really waiting up to see how you were." Albus said.

"Well, I'm fine. So you can go to bed now. I'm going to stay down here and read a little bit before I head off." Rose told them.

They all reluctantly stood up and left the common room. Rose sat down on the couch and put her book down. She needed to write a letter to Victoire as soon as possible so she could set Scarlett's plan in motion.

_Dear Victoire,_

_It's been a while since I last wrote you, but this is important. Scorpius and I have broken up. Well, really, he broke it off with me. He told me that he cheated on me with a girl in the year below us. Please don't tell anyone yet, though. Scarlett and I, we've got a plan. She wants to make me look drop dead gorgeous so that Scorpius can't help but want me back, but when he comes crawling back, I'll shut him down faster than he can say please. For this plan, I need some fashion advice. You know that blue silk dress that you made me for the ball this year? How could I alter it to make it look...I don't know, sexier? I don't have all of my sewing supplies here with me, but I'll probably be doing most of it by magic anyway since the ball is a week away. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Vic._

_With love, _

_Rose_

Rose folded the parchment and put it in her book to mail tomorrow morning. As she was closing her book, she heard footsteps coming down from the dormitory.

"Oh. Were you about to go to bed?" Hugo stood at the bottom of the steps that lead to the boys' dormitories.

"No, no. I was just taking a break from reading. Why? Do you want to talk?" Rose asked her little brother.

"Yeah...it's about you, though so I'm not sure how much you want to talk about it." He told her as he walked around to sit on the couch next to her.

Rose hesitated. "What about me?"

"You and Scorpius didn't just have a little fight, did you?" He asked, watching her face.

"We...I..." She struggled to come up with an answer. "I can't lie to you. No. He broke it off with me."

"Why? I mean, you two fight all the time but you always make up." Hugo asked her. Rose looked like she was struggling with something. "I'm fifteen, you know. I can handle whatever it is that he did to you."

"He just...I don't know, he just wasn't the person that I thought he was." Rose said, deciding not to tell him the full truth.

"That's a lie and I know it. We all told you that he wasn't a great person and you told us that you didn't care. What did he do?"

There was a long pause before she said, "He cheated on me, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"What? I'll kill him, Rosie. Come on, you and me, we could hide a body." Hugo joked.

Rose let out a laugh. "I bet we could. But Scarlett has a plan that I think might work." She told him a little bit of the plan, and he made a face.

"You won't take him back, will you? Because come on, Rosie, he's shallow and conceited." Hugo asked.

"No, I have no plans to take him back. He hurt me too badly and he changed too much. But I can at least make him pay for it a little bit, can't I?" Rose reassured him.

"I guess. Does anyone else know about your little plan?"

"No, and don't tell anyone. I don't really want them to know until I've payed him back completely for this." Rose told him.

"I don't like this, Rosie, but I won't tell anyone. I don't really want to be the one to tell Albus anyway." Hugo said, just picturing how their protective cousin would react.

"Albus? I don't want to be the one to tell James!" Rose said, wondering how James, who had made himself her personal bodyguard and watchdog while at Hogwarts, would react.

Hugo laughed loudly. "Neither do I. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine, Hugo. Thanks for listening. And yes, before you even open your mouth, I am going to bed right after you leave."

He looked stunned. "How did you know I was going to tell you to go to bed?"

"Because you're just like Mum, and Mum would have told me to get to bed now, too."

Hugo laughed. "Right. Goodnight, Rosie."

"Night, Hugo." He retreated up the stairs, and Rose stood up to go to her own dormitory before she passed out from exhaustion.


	4. The Hair

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>The next day, a Saturday, found Rose and Scarlett sitting in a Hogsmeade boutique. They dug through a few Muggle hairstyle books, trying to find something that Rose liked.<p>

"This is useless, Scarlett. I haven't cut my hair, except a trim, since I was nine years old. My mother just might kill me if she sees I've cut all of my hair off." Rose said, throwing a book back down onto the coffee table.

"You're not cutting it all off. Just some of it." Scarlett reassured her.

Rose pulled a tendril of her hair in front of her face to look at it. Coppery red and curly, it went down to the middle of her back. She loved her hair, but she knew it was time for a change.

"Rose Weasley?" The witch at the counter called out. Rose and Scarlett stood up and followed her into the salon.

"So what are we wanting done today?" The girl asked.

"A cut and a style." Scarlett told her.

"How short? Drastic, like chin length?" She said, holding Rose's hair up to the chin.

"No!" Rose exclaimed.

"She doesn't want it all cut, but she wants a noticeable difference." Scarlett said.

"Okay...Rose, how does the bottom of your shoulder blades sound? It's different, but not so different that you would hate it."

"I guess. Just don't ruin it." Rose said, wary about trusting this unknown woman with her hair.

"Just trust me, love. You'll look wonderful." The woman said. She clapped her hands. "Let's get started."

The woman washed, cut, dried, and styled Rose's hair. After close to an hour and a half had passed, the woman stepped back.

"Well, that's it. You're all done. What do you think?" She asked.

Rose looked apprehensively at her reflection. Her hair, usually in messy, but tame, curls now hung around her face in layers, falling in a nice wave to the bottom of her shoulder blades. It had also been thinned with the layers, and was now less bushy than it normally was. She lifted a hand to touch it and felt a new, silky texture to it.

"Rose! It looks fantastic!" Scarlett practically shrieked. Her hands covered her mouth as she looked gleefully at Rose.

"It's definitely different." Rose said, her voice breaking on the last word.

"Are you okay?" Scarlett asked her.

"Not really." She said.

"Come on, we're going to the Three Broomsticks, and you're going to tell me what's so wrong about your new haircut." Scarlett pulled Rose out of the chair, paying for the haircut on their way out.

Once they were seated at the Three Broomsticks with butterbeers in front of them, Scarlett asked Rose what was wrong.

"I don't even know, Scarlett...am I doing the best thing for me? Like yeah, this whole thing might make him think about what he did, but what about me? What am I getting out of it? Cutting my hair for the first time besides a trim since I was nine? Changing a dress that I loved when I bought it?" Rose told her, resting her chin in her hand, feeling her newly cut hair flutter around her arm.

"Rose, you have everything in this for you. A haircut that, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, you desperately needed. As for the dress, you're such a talented seamstress, you'll make it even more beautiful than it already is. This isn't just about him anymore. It is about you, even if you don't see it." Scarlett told her, taking a sip of her butterbeer.

"How? Please, do tell me how this benefits me in any way." Rose said.

"What's one thing that you never had in your relationship with Scorpius?"

"Self-respect, apparently, since I stayed with the jerk for so long." Rose answered.

"Not exactly that way I was going to out it, but okay, we'll go with that. You don't respect yourself. Well, this makeover is going to help you with that." Scarlett told her.

"Scarlett. Being pretty is not going to suddenly give me confidence and self-respect. Get real." Rose told her, disregarding her statements.

"No, but you're a great person, too. You won't be just some shallow pretty little girl just because you got some new hair and new clothes. Just...maybe it'll put the girl that I know out to the world. Put some of the confidence that you put into your schoolwork into yourself." Scarlett said, draining her glass and leaving money on the table. They exited the pub to walk back to the school.

"Maybe. I just hope I don't do all of this for no reason." Rose said, still wary about the whole situation.

"It won't be for no reason. It's for you, Rosie, enjoy it!" Scarlett said, linking her arm through Rose's. "Now come on, let's get back to school before Albus decides to kill himself out of boredom after being stuck in the common room all day."

Rose laughed. "Well that's his own fault for not doing the Potions essay before today."

"Hey, maybe I'll beat him in wizard's chess tonight just to make his night worse." Scarlett said.

"Yeah, I'm sure he would love that." Rose said, laughing as they walked back to the school.

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><p>AN: So yeah...this chapter is bad. There is definitely more interesting chapters coming, but I just decided to say YOLO and post it anyway so...enjoy this kind of meh chapter.


	5. The Face

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>"There is no way that you are coming anywhere near my face with that." Rose said, crossing her arms firmly across her chest as she sat in the chair that Scarlett had set up in the common room.<p>

"Rose, it's just an eyelash curler. It doesn't hurt at all." Scarlett told her.

"How can you possibly say that that won't hurt? It looks like some kind of Muggle torture device!" Rose replied.

"Rose, I think you're being a bit dramatic here." Albus said, quietly reading in an armchair.

"You're not the one who's getting assaulted with cosmetics right now!" Rose yelled at him.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Okay, one, I am hardly assaulting you with cosmetics. Two, you only have foundation and lipstick on right now. And three, you already wear makeup every day, this is just an increase in makeup."

"Yeah, an increase in caked on paint that makes me look like a clown." Rose told her.

"Watch your mouth, this is my makeup you're talking about. It will not make you look like a clown. It will make you look striking and seductive, which is exactly what we want in this situation." Scarlett replied. "Now just shut up and close your eyes."

With a final eye roll, Rose did as she was told, wincing when she felt the cold metal of the eyelash curler against her eyelid. She heard the rustling of paper as Albus stood up and walked over to them.

"She sure doesn't look like herself. Why are you doing all of this anyway? And why did you ask me to stay?" Albus asked Scarlett.

Rose opened her eyes to see Scarlett searching her mind frantically for an answer. Rose silently begged her to not tell him the real reason.

"Um...I just thought Rose could use a new look. She was starting to look a bit tired and let's be honest here, her old look was not doing her any favors." Scarlett told him.

"Okay..." He said, drawing out the word like he was skeptical about this. "And why am I here?"

"You are here so we can get a male opinion that is not Hugo, who has the sibling obligation to tell Rose that she looks pretty." Scarlett told him, finishing up the blush on Rose's cheek with a final sweep of her brush. "There, you're done."

Rose took the mirror being handed to her and stared at her appearance. Her eyes were covered in a dark, smokey eyeshadow and lined in black. Her cheeks were tinted a subtle pink, barely noticeable. Her lips were covered in a deep vampy red. Scarlett had made her look beautiful, yet unattainable. Exactly what she had planned.

"Wow. Okay, you definitely are not Rose Weasley. It's not possible. You look too different." Albus said.

"You look perfect. He won't be able to take his eyes off of you!" Scarlett turned to Albus. "Now for the second reason that I brought you here. I'm starving. Go visit the house elves in the kitchen and get me something to eat."

Albus jokingly bent into a deep bow in front of her. "As you wish, my lady. I'll grab something for you too, Rosie." Albus said, bounding off through the portrait hole.

As soon as the door shut, Scarlett sank into the couch. "That should give me some time to rest. He'll probably eat whatever he gets on the way back up here and then have to go back for more."

"It's sad, but you're probably right." Rose said, laughing. An owl swooped in through the open window, cutting Rose's laughter off as it dropped a letter in a cream envelope into her lap.

"It's from Victoire!" Rose said, delighted that her cousin had written back in such haste. "Maybe she'll have some advice about the dress!" She tore open the letter, pulling out a piece of parchment with Victoire's delicate script on it.

_Rosie,_

_First off, I know it probably doesn't feel like it right now, but you're better off without him. Seriously. Plus, I'll let you in on a little family secret: we all pretty much hated him from the moment he stepped foot in the Burrow. I know exactly how you feel, because I dated a lot of terrible guys before I found Teddy. You'll find someone, Rosie. Now about this dress..._

_I didn't exactly make that dress sexy, but I didn't make it prudish either. I would suggest taking it in around the waist, because I left a little wiggle room in the dress because I was trying to make it a bit less revealing. But now I say to hell with less revealing! Dark blue silk...add silver across the neckline and around the hem. You could also change the neckline from straight to a V or a sweetheart. Just have fun with it. I trust your designing judgement or I wouldn't have asked you to work in the shop after you graduate. Have fun and make that boy regret every tear that he's made you cry. _

_Love,_

_Victoire_

By the end of the letter, Rose was tearing up. Her favorite cousin's words had hit straight to her heart, and she was ready to get started on the dress.

"Come on, Scarlett, I've got a dress to redesign." Rose said, heading up the stairs to her dormitory.

"I'll wait down here for Albus to get back with my food, but I'll be up there afterwards, okay? Don't forget to take that makeup off so I can try something else later." Scarlett said, waving her hand absentmindedly behind her back.

"Okay...I guess I'll see you later." Rose said, continuing up the stairs, glancing over her shoulder one more time at her friend who was staring off into space. She wondered what had captured her attention enough, but shook Scarlett out of her thoughts as she remembered the dress that was sitting in her closet, waiting to be changed.


	6. The Friends

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>While Rose was busy in her dormitory working on her dress for the Christmas Ball, her two best friends sat downstairs in the common room listening to her exasperated swears as she fixed the dress for the billionth time that night.<p>

"Do you think she'll ever figure that dress out?" Albus asked, reading a small book about Quidditch.

"I don't know. She is determined to make it work, though." Scarlett said.

"I just hope she doesn't work too hard on it. I mean, since when does Scorpius notice what she's wearing anyway?" Albus said.

Scarlett flinched a little, as she always did when he mentioned Scorpius. She was having a terrible time of trying to keep this secret from Albus. "Yeah, I guess he doesn't."

"Scarlett, what's going on with them? I mean, Rose comes in crying her eyes out because she had a fight with Scorpius. The next day, she's out getting a haircut because she wants to impress him when they go to the Christmas Ball together. Yet, they haven't been together this whole break. There's something wrong with this picture, Scarlett." Albus asked, laying his book aside.

Scarlett exhaled a shaky breath. "Listen, Albus, you have to trust me. I can't tell you. I promised Rose that I wouldn't tell you anything. Friday, when the Christmas Ball is over, you'll understand. Just believe me when I say that there's a good reason why she's doing all of this."

Albus gave her a skeptical look, but then relaxed. "Fine. I guess I can wait two more days." He picked up his book again and reopened to the page he left off on.

Scarlett sighed and leaned back against the armrest, picking up her feet and putting them in Albus's lap, directly on top of his book.

"Watch it. This is a library book, you heathen.." He told her, playfully swatting her bare foot off of the book.

She laughed. "I am so sorry for offending that precious book with my poor little feet. How ever will I make it up to you?"

Albus made a thoughtful face, stroking his chin. "Hmmm...how about...you turn down all those other guys who have asked you, and go to the Christmas Ball with me?"

Scarlett looked completely shocked. She hadn't expected this kind of request, but she had to say...she didn't mind. Albus, however, had caught a look of her shocked face and quickly blushed and looked away.

"I mean if you didn't want...I'm not going to force you..." His rambling was cut off by a quick kiss from Scarlett.

"Just shut up. Of course I'll go with you. Really, who else would I have gone with?" She told him.

Albus was about to respond when there was a big crash from upstairs. Scarlett looked upstairs and then back at Albus.

"I better go and make sure that Rose hasn't destroyed our dormitory since that crash sounded suspiciously like a curtain rod falling. I'll see you later." She stood up and gave him another quick kiss. "And remember, I'll see you on Friday in your best suit."

She turned and walked up the stairs. Albus watched her, still flabbergasted that she had actually said yes. He eventually retreated to his dormitory with what must have been the world's biggest smile on his face.


	7. The Dress

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>Rose woke up on Christmas morning with a small army of parcels at her feet and an unfinished dress in her wardrobe. The ball was tonight and her dress was nowhere near good enough. She heard Scarlett's even breathing that indicated she was still asleep.<p>

Rose threw a bundled set of socks at her best friend, successfully waking her. "Scarlett, it's Christmas. How are you sleeping in, even today?"

She yawned. "I like my sleep, judge me if you want. But since I have been rudely awakened, I might as well open my gifts."

Rose did the same, opening the usual gifts of a Weasley sweater, candies, and new books. She got down the bottom of the pile to find a different parcel, one that wasn't usually there. It was wrapped in black paper and a gold bow, with her name inscribed on the top in gold.

"What's that?" Scarlett asking, a new scarf already wrapped around her neck and chocolate smeared on her fingers. She stood up and crawled onto Rose's bed.

"I have no idea. And don't get chocolate on my bedspread." Rose said, untying the bow and carefully taking off the wrapping paper.

"Fine. Just open the damn present already, Rose!" Scarlett begged.

Rose shot her a glare, and then opened the box. She gasped when she saw a gorgeous black silk dress that was neatly folded. She picked up the card that came with the dress, reading the few words written on it in fine script:

Knock him dead, Rosie.

— V

Rose looked at the dress, and saw Victoire's obvious handiwork. The dress was short, probably mid-thigh, and was very tightly fitted. Two thin off the shoulder straps were attached to the bodice, a simple straight neckline with a deep v that split the bodice in half. It was gorgeous and exactly what she had wanted. The box also contained a pair of peep toe pumps, that matched the dress perfectly. This dress had taken days to make and Victoire had probably worked day and night to get it finished in time.

"Rose, this dress is perfect! Oh my gosh this is exactly what Scorpius lives for!" Scarlett squealed.

"It is pretty perfect for this situation. Scarlett, I'm actually going to pull this off!" Rose said excitedly. Rose and Scarlett jumped off the bed and were jumping up and down before Scarlett stopped.

"Come on, we have so much to do! New hairstyle, new makeup style, everything! Plus I've got to get ready too." Scarlett told her.

"Did you ever decide on a date?" Rose asked her.

"I did...but it's a surprise." Scarlett answered.

Rose rolled her eyes at her friend's secrecy before sitting down in a chair and letting Scarlett get to work.


	8. The Ball

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>Rose stepped into the ball with Scarlett, her red curls pinned up into an intricate updo that Rose couldn't have recreated on her own if she wanted to. She felt oddly revealed with her legs bare under her short new dress. She loveD the dress, but she had never worn something this short in her entire life.<p>

"Where's your date, Scarlett?" Rose said, looking around the ball. She caught sight of Scorpius dancing with Violet Flint, who was wearing a dress so short that it could almost be called a shirt. She quickly looked away from him.

"He's here somewhere. Let me go look for him. I'll be right back." Scarlett rushed off, leaving Rose standing by herself.

Rose stood there for a moment, knowing she needed to do something if she was going to grab Scorpius's attention. His attention was still focused entirely on Violet, but Rose wanted that to change. However, she couldn't bring herself to do anything to get her noticed.

"Here he is!" Scarlett exclaimed, arriving back to Rose with Albus in tow.

"Albus? What? When did this happen?" Rose said, looking at both of them.

"Um...I think it was about three days ago." Albus said, looking embarrassed.

"Why are you looking at me like I'm going to hit you, Al?" Rose asked.

"Because I know you and you very well might because I'm with your best friend!" He responded.

Rose laughed. "Don't be a prat, Al. Of course I'm not going to hit you. I am a little surprised, but I'm happy for both of you." She hugged him.

"Thanks. But I have one question for you: Why is your boyfriend dancing with Violet Flint and not you?" Albus asked.

"Well...um...he may not exactly be my boyfriend anymore." Rose said.

"What? Forget me and Scarlett, when did _that_ little piece of information happen?" He asked, shocked.

"About a week ago. He cheated on me, but I'm handling it. You don't need to go all protective cousin on him. He'll get what he deserves...as soon as I get his attention away from that stupid little slut and onto me." Rose said, looking over at him once more.

"That can be arranged." Albus said, a mischievous smile on his face. He ducked away from Rose.

"Where are you going?" Scarlett asked him.

"To get some punch! I'll be right back." Albus said, heading toward the punch bowl that was on the other side of the hall.

"Let's go dance while he's doing that." Scarlett told Rose. Rose shrugged, allowing Scarlett to pull her onto the dance floor.

Rose kept her eye on Albus, suspecting him of planning something. And she was right. She watched Albus get a cup of punch, and then turn swiftly around and walk a few feet. Before he could make it across the floor, he allowed someone to bump into him. The arm holding the cup flew out, splattering the punch all over the girl next to him, who just so happened to be Violet Flint.

Violet let out a high pitched shriek and jumped away from Scorpius. She said a few choice words to Albus before running off to the nearest bathroom. Scorpius, now left without a date, looked around the floor for any new willing participants. During his scan of the room, his eyes locked onto Rose and never looked away.

Albus walked past Rose and grabbed Scarlett's hand. "And that, my dear cousin, is how you successfully grab someone's attention." They went off to dance.

Rose stood, dancing by herself for a few seconds before Scorpius walked determinedly past her, but brushing her shoulder as he passed.

"We need to talk. Now." He said sharply under his breath when he brushed against her. He continued out of the Great Hall briskly.

"Gladly." Rose whispered to herself before turning and following him out into the corridor.


	9. The Fight

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>Scorpius pulled Rose into an empty hallway and pushed her gently against the wall. "You looked so beautiful tonight." He whispered, before he kissed her.<p>

She tried not to recoil, since this was what she had been waiting for. She tried not to think as she kissed him back. When he pulled away, she smiled at him.

"I was so stupid, Rose. Damn Violet Flint, what was I thinking? You're so much prettier than her, anyway."

"Yeah, you were. But that's in the past. Now let me show you what I've been wanting to do for this whole week." She leaned in to kiss him, hoping he would follow her.

When he leaned in, his face was met with an echoing slap.

"WHAT THE HELL, ROSE?"

"Did you really think you could just kiss me and I would come crawling back to you? Please, Scorpius, I figured that you would know me better than that. I really didn't think you could be that stupid."

"Wasn't that your plan all along? Show me what I'm missing and make me come back? Because it's working." Scorpius asked.

"Typical you. Thinking everything is all about you. This was never about you, Scorpius. Maybe at the very beginning it was, but it became more about me. I needed to realize that I didn't need you. And I deserve so much better than you."

Scorpius laughed, which made her want to slap him all over again. "You don't need me? Come on, Rose. You were like a leech, how much you needed me. Everything you did, you wanted me there too. You needed to realize you don't need me. And how exactly are you going to do that, Rose?"

"Well first, I'm going to say goodbye to your arrogant little face for the last time. And then I'm going to walk off down this corridor and go find someone who will treat me like a human being and not some little girl who doesn't know how to do anything."

"Right. Well, after you're done wasting your time on that, I'll take you back, Rose. All you have to do is say yes."

"You'll take me back? What in this bloody world would make you think that you are the one that needs to take someone back? I am not the one who cheated on you! Could you be any more stupid?"

"Fine! All I can say is, I never thought you would be the one who isn't fighting for a relationship."

"Fighting for a relationship? Scorpius, there's no fight left. I'm done with you. I'm done with this. I got what I wanted. Now, why don't you just watch me walk away from you for the last time?"

"You know what? I think I will. You've got a nice ass anyways." Scorpius told her, smirking.

He hadn't seen Albus walk into the corridor, until he felt the punch wipe the smirk off of his face. His hands went up this nose as he felt the blood drip down.

"You don't talk to my cousin like that, Malfoy." Albus said. "Come on, Rosie, let's go back to the ball."

They turned and walked away down the hall. Before she turned the corner back to the Great Hall, Rose turned back and looked at him. He was staring at the ground, confused.

"Hey, Scorpius." She called down the hall to him. He glanced up. "And about fighting for the relationship? I've got news for you, babe: You're not worth it." And with a final turn on her heel, she walked away.

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><p>AN: So I wrote this chapter before I even knew where this story was going...this is by far my favorite chapter so I hope you guys like it! There is a bit of an alternate chapter for this one so maybe at the end of the story I might post the alternate chapter, if people want it.


	10. The Future

A/N: So this is it. The final chapter. Thanks to all the reviewers for your help in creating a better story. Hope you enjoy the last chapter.

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><p>Three years later, Rose walked down the street in Diagon Alley, hurrying to get to her job. She was late for the third day in a row. She didn't have time to stop for anything, even her typical morning coffee.<p>

"Delphinia, stop!" She heard an all too familiar voice ring out behind her.

"Scorpius?" She asked, turning around. He was running toward her...wait. He was running toward a little girl that was inches from Rose.

"Sorry, she just learned to walk, she's not really that coordinated yet..." Scorpius said, scooping the little girl up into his arms. "Wait. Rose?"

"Uh, yeah. Long time, no see." Rose answered awkwardly. She was still confused about the little girl.

"Yeah. Again, sorry about Delphinia. She doesn't really know how to walk yet." Scorpius apologized.

"It's perfectly fine. Is she a relative of yours?" Rose asked.

"Um, no. She's mine. My daughter." He said, uncomfortably.

"What? When? How? Wait, I know how, don't answer that." Rose rambled.

"Um she was born about a year and a half ago. My parents were not happy at all. The mother and my parents wanted to give her up for adoption, but I said no. So, she's with me." Scorpius told her.

"Wow. I didn't think you really had the...capacity to be a father." Rose said. He laughed.

"Yeah, I didn't either. But I think I'm doing a pretty good job." He said, smiling at his daughter.

"Well...I guess you've changed a lot since school, haven't you?" Rose asked.

"I guess I have. Not until about a year ago, though. But when you have a baby, it kind of makes it hard to sleep around with any girl you see." Scorpius laughed again.

"I guess it would be. I've got to get to work, Scorpius." Rose said, but she was suddenly reluctant to stop the conversation.

"Oh. Okay, I won't make you late." He answered, turning away from her.

Rose hesitated a moment, and then touched his arm. "Actually, I need a day off. Why don't we go and get something to eat and you can tell me what you've been doing since school."

He smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that. The Leaky Cauldron?"

Rose walked with him in silence toward the Leaky Cauldron after sending a quick Patronus message to tell her boss that she wouldn't be coming in today.

They quickly got a table inside the pub and ordered their food. Scorpius sat quietly with Delphinia in his lap until Rose started the conversation.

"So...what else have you done since school? Besides have a daughter, I mean." Rose asked.

"I started healer training, but I didn't finish because I had to take care of Delphinia. I work at Flourish & Blotts right now, but hopefully that's just temporary." Scorpius said.

"That's too bad that you didn't get to finish. I remember you saying that you've always wanted to be a healer." Rose told him.

"It's really not a big deal. I'd rather be able to take care of her, because no one else is going to." He made a face, before realizing what he had said and looking embarrassed. "Anyway, what have you done since school?"

"Oh, um, I work at Madam Malkin's as the desk clerk. It pays well, but it's not what I wanted to do." Rose said.

"You want to be a seamstress." Scorpius said. It wasn't a question.

"How did you know that?" Rose asked him.

"You might think I didn't pay attention to you during those two years that we were together, but I did. You talked about being a seamstress all the time. It would be hard for me to forget." Scorpius told her.

"I thought you would forget everything about those two years." Rose said, quietly.

"I never apologized, did I? For what I did." Scorpius asked.

"No, you didn't." She responded.

"I was a jerk to you, Rose. And everyone else, really. You didn't deserve to be treated how I treated you. I'm sorry. Three years too late, but I'm sorry." He grabbed her hand across the table.

"I...I'm not sure what to say to that." She said, her voice shaking a little bit.

"You don't have to say anything. I don't expect you to forgive me. I've just matured a lot since school, and that's bothered me since I realized that I never apologized. I just wanted to apologize." Scorpius said.

She pulled her hand away slightly. "I...respect that you can apologize for something that you bragged about three years ago, but if I'm going to forgive you...it might take a while."

"I'm not expecting anything. Just that you can acknowledge my apology is enough for me." Scorpius pulled his hand away.

"But I'm not saying that I won't forgive you. I could. Just give me some time, okay? Because I actually did miss you, Scorpius." Rose said.

"Really? I'm honestly surprised because I was terrible to you. But I'm glad you'll consider forgiving me." Scorpius said.

"Why don't we just...try to take it slow this time? Let's try being friends first. I still don't trust you, but...I think I'm willing to see where it goes. Friends first, though." Rose said, finally saying what she had been thinking.

Scorpius looked surprise. "Um...are you sure? Like one hundred percent sure? I don't want to start anything unless you are completely sure. I mean, I've got a little bit more baggage than I did at school." He said, gesturing to his little daughter.

"I think I can handle the baggage. And yes, I'm sure. Like I said, I missed you. After I got over hating you, of course." Rose said.

"Understandable. Okay. I'd like us being friends. We'll see where it goes. And I promise I'll be better this time." Scorpius said.

"I'll be holding you to that promise." She said, and their hands met over the table again.


End file.
